Tool for cleaning the splines of telescopically extensible shafts



April 16, 1968 B. REAK 3,

B. TOOL FOR CLEANING THE SFLINES OF TELESCOPICALLY EXTENSIBLE SHAF'TS Filed 001;. 21, 1965 IN VENTOR. ELENA/E7- r 5. FEQK United States Patent 3,377,642 TOOL FOR CLEANING THE SPLINES 0F TELE- SCOPICALLY EXTENSIBLE SHAFTS Bennett B. Reak, West Bend, Wis, assignor to Weasler Engineering & Mtg. (30., Inc., West Bend, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Oct. 21, 1965, Ser. No. 499,668 2 Claims. (Cl. 15-105) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A fiat plate or strap serving as a handle has convex and concave tool portions at its ends for respectively cleaning male and female splines. Each tool portion is provided with alternating teeth and inter-tooth notches complementary to the spline surface to be cleaned and having generally parallel widely spaced side edges and arcuately curved terminal edges.

This invention relates to a tool for cleaning the splines of telescopically extensible shafts.

Splines are frequently painted as received by the customer buying new equipment. In order to have them function properly, it is necessary that the metal be clean and polished and free of paint and other materials that might cause sticking. Similar problems arise in use due to gummy materials getting on the splines and requiring to be removed. Heretofore, the removal of such materials has been a long and painstaking procedure.

The instant tool comprises a fiat plate or strap which serves as a handle. At one end of this plate is an obliquely turned tool portion which is concavely notched to receive male splines and has teeth for entering between the male splines for the removal of all foreign matter.

At the other end or" the handle is a tool portion peripherally bent at right angles to the handle, rather than obliquely, because it must enter into a female splined element. This tool portion is generally convex with outwardly extending teeth to enter the channels between the splines of a female coupling element and to fit in said channels to scrape all foreign matter therefrom, while the space between the teeth performs a similar function on the sides and tops of the splines.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view of the tool in side elevation.

FIG. 2 is a View of the tool in plan.

FIG. 3 is a view in end elevation.

FIG. 4 is a view taken from the viewpoint of the line 44 in FIG. 1.

The tool is made in one piece to provide an elongated central plate portion 6 which serves as a handle. At one end there is an upturned tool element 8 which is generally convexly arcuate in elevation, being provided with radially projecting teeth 10, intervening grooves 12, at half-teeth 14 adjoining the handle 6..

The tool element 8 fits the interior of a female splint shaft member. The teeth 10 enter the channels betwec the splines of such member, while the notches 12 recei the splines and conform in cross sectional contour to tl intervening cross section of the respective splines.

At the other end of the handle is a generally concat tool element 16 which is preferably set at a 45 ang with respect to the handle 6 to project angularly at tl side thereof opposite that at which the tool element projects. Tool element 16 has its maximum projection 1 its corner portions 18. Between these corner portions the] is an arcuately concave notch 20. The margins 20 a1 made to fit in the channels between the splines of a ma] spline element. The notches 22 which extend more deep] beyond the margin 20 conform in contour to the cro: sectional contours of the splines of the male elemei which is to be cleaned.

It will be understood that the tool is designed to 1 standard male and female splines. The tool element 8 fir the splined female member of a given coupling whi] the tool element 16 fits the splinedl complementary mal element of the same coupling.

I claim:

1. A spline-cleaning tool comprising a straplike she: metal handle portion integrally provided at its ends wit tool elements projecting in opposite directions and ha\ ing alternating notches and teeth, one such element bein generally convex and the other generally concave, th teeth of the generally convex element having widel spaced substantially parallel side margins and the notche of the generally concave element. having substantiall parallel side margins, both said teeth and said notche having generally arcuate terminal margins, the respectiv teeth being dimensioned to fit between the splines an the notches being adapted to receive and to lit the con tours of a complementary spline.

2. A tool according to claim 1 in which the said ele ment which is convex projects approximately at righ angles to one face of the handle, the element which i concave projecting obliquely at an angle of about 45 from the opposite face of the handle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,195,297 8/1916 Vlchek 15-236 2 2,013,545 9/1935 Stevens 1523t 2,817,863 12/1957 Johns 15-236 )1 2,824,323 2/ 1958 Tos et al 15-101 1,041,839 10/1912 Miller 15-10418 CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner. L. G. MACHLIN, Assistant Examiner. 

